The present invention is related to a cooler housing that is used for encasing, protecting, and supporting the components that comprise a variety of cooling devices, particularly for use as the housing for portable evaporative coolers.
Cooler housings are known in the art. Housings encase, protect, and support the numerous components that may be included within coolers. Additionally, the housing forms an integral part of the cooler by directing the air flow through the cooler. Numerous examples of housings for coolers exist in the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. D362,905 issued Oct. 3, 1995, which is hereby incorporated by reference, depicts a representation of a sophisticated housing for a cooler. This housing provides an integral part of this portable evaporative cooler. Though housings may be employed in a variety of coolers, portable evaporative coolers comprise a variety of components that especially benefit from a strong, rigid, yet portable cooler housing. Describing a representative portable evaporative cooler, U.S. Pat. No. 5,606,868 issued Mar. 4, 1997, which is incorporated by reference herein, demonstrates and discloses that the multitude of components necessary to provide cool air can benefit from an efficient, sturdy, and protective cooler housing. Even these sophisticated examples of cooler housings cannot overcome some of the deficiencies of the prior art.
The prior art forced a user to connect external water sources to the housing through water connections protruding away from the surface of the housing. Bumping or brushing against a wall or other obstacle could damage these connections protruding from the surface of the housing. Therefore a need exists to recess these connections to protect them.
The prior art also created a danger as the pads aged and deteriorated. As the pads softened, a person approaching the pad side or rear of the cooler could stumble against the weakening pads and fall through into the rotating fan. To prevent this risk, the prior art teaches the use of wire mesh gratings or guards in front of the pads. These gratings or guards hinder the replacement of the pads, however.
Water must collect in a central sump tank in evaporative coolers and a pump system must recirculate it through the pads. The prior art teaches the use of one central tank area. This central tank configuration limits the flexibility of the unit and unduly burdens the center of the housing with the entire weight of the water.
In the prior art, the sump of evaporative coolers well typically comprised slanted walls. The flow valves attached to the slanted walls were typically inaccurate because the slant of these walls actually decreases the pressure needed to open the valve. The prior art usually had to employ pressure regulators or pressure reducers to compensate for the problems associated with placing the flow valve on the slanted wall.
Finally, the prior art teaches that the pump was usually secured only by the connection to the hose attachment. The movement of the housing during shipping or movement during use would upset the pump and affect performance.
The present invention comprises a cooler housing, having a front and rear opening, that is used for coolers, particularly evaporative coolers. Though the housing described herein may be used in coolers ranging from simple conventional fans to comnplex heat exchanger devices, the preferred embodiment of this invention is preferably used in conjunction with a portable evaporative cooler employing this housing and further comprising the necessary components including a motor that drives a pump connected to a sump tank.
The housing preferably comprises at least one recess. Thus, the plumbing assemblies do not protrude from the overall silhouette of the housing. Further, when recessed, the chances of another object striking the assemblies and damaging them is significantly reduced.
Also, the housing comprises a plurality of braces attached to the interior of the housing and bracing the back plane of the pads when installed. This configuration offers the same protection as the guards or gratings that were used in the prior art, but these bars also provide a back support for the pads and keep them aligned within the housing. Additionally, the replacement of the pads can be accomplished without having to contend with removing the cumbersome grating or mesh required in the prior art.
Moreover, the sump tank of the present invention comprises a central base further comprising at least one additional cavity defined by the far edges of the unit, creating pontoon-like structures that extent to the bottom sides of the unit. This structure dramatically increase the volume of water that may be stored in the unit. This housing connects each cavity to the central collection chamber via channels in the bottom of the housing. These channels also provide a support frame. This support frame structure can be connected to wheels or casters that can be affixed or fitted to the housing. Because these pontoon-like structures and the support frame structure evenly distribute the weight of water around the entire bottom of the housing, rather than centralizing the entire weight. This distribution increases the stability of the housing. This stability is increased by a plurality of pylons that strengthen and support the housing by providing additional rigidity.
Furthermore, the present invention further comprises a back wall at the base of the housing with a nearly vertical aspect. This configuration overcomes the problems regarding attached a valve on a slant wall as encountered in the prior art. Any flow valve attached to this surface will be as close to vertically as possible, thus the need for any extraneous flow regulators to compensate for these irregularities has been eliminated.
Finally, the present invention employs a plurality of ridges designed to prevent side to side movement of the pump contained therein. These ridges restrict any lateral movement of the pump. Additionally, the use of an aluminum bracket attached to the back wall of the housing and connected to the hose running from the pump further restricts movement of the pump in all directions. Thus, even the movement and jostling associated with shipping will not jar or displace the pump.